BORO’S forgotten Moroccan Merouane Zemmama still has time to make a big impact this season.

Tony Mowbray believes the 28-year-old playmaker has a lot to offer his team as the promotion race approaches its climax.

Zemmama has endured an injury-hit season and underwent surgery on a double hernia at the end of January. But he’s now fit and available for selection.

“He will be an asset when he comes back,” Mowbray told the Gazette.

“I think we’ve only seen flashes of Merouane, who hasn’t really been consistently fit to play.

“When he is fit and ready to go he is a real asset for our football club - a player who’s got the creativity and talent to dribble and pick passes that can hurt the opposition and score the odd goal along the way.

“We do need to try and get him up to speed and then he’ll hopefully have a big part to play over the remainder of the season.”

Zemmama’s first team chances also suffered due to Boro’s fine start to the season.

Mowbray hit on a successful formula and was reluctant to change it.

“I think he found earlier on in the season the team was generally winning and when you are getting positive results doing things a certain way, it becomes very difficult to change that winning formation,” explained the Boro boss.

“I think Merouane suffered from that a little I think and then he picked up knocks along the way and a problem with his groin came along which ultimately resulted in an operation.

“Let’s hope he can find some consistency of fitness and then form to get him back in the team.

“He’s got the ability to put the opposition on the back foot and run at them, I think. If they hang out a leg he goes past them,” added Mowbray.

“What happens when you’ve got a player who can beat a man is that means someone else from the opposition has to come and close him down and that leaves spaces for somebody else to exploit.

“It’s important in any squad to have people who can beat a man and shoot and Merouane has those capabilities.”

TERRY Cochrane is the guest speaker at the Middlesbrough Supporters’ Club meeting on Monday (7.30pm start).

The former Boro and Northern Ireland winger will address members in the Fenton Suite at The Riverside.